It might look like another shuttered business, but the former Container Store building in Tysons has come in handy for Fairfax County recently.

The county bought the site (8508 Leesburg Pike) near the Spring Hill Metro station in late 2019 after the Container Store relocated to 8459 Leesburg Pike in 2018.

A few months later, the county’s Department of Economic Initiatives revealed it would use the 19,000-square-foot building for its inaugural pilot “Activate Fairfax: 8508 Uncontained” to support small businesses. While the project faces delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, the county has taken advantage of the vacant space for personal protective equipment (PPE), Rebecca Moudry with Fairfax County said.

“It’s actually been a bit of a silver lining having that space because it has been housing PPE equipment for the county and other supplies — serving as a kind of like other storage needs in this time,” Moudry, who is the director of the Department of Economic Initiatives, said.

The county’s Department of Procurement and Material Management started using the space for PPE storage a few months ago, and now is storing not just PPE but also library holdings, Moudry said.

“From what I understand, PPE is being received and deployed daily, and so the library holdings are more static,” Moudry said. “The PPE has been largely moved to the logistics center just to get it in and out in an easier way than at the Container Store.”

While it’s temporarily getting used to help the county combat the coronavirus pandemic, the pop-up plans for the building are still in the works, Moudry said.

After applications for pop-up ideas closed in April, a steering committee reviewed the proposals and eventually narrowed it down to one applicant, Moudry said. Currently, the county is negotiating with that applicant and working on a feasibility study.

While it’s one applicant, the building — and possibly its parking spaces — may or may get used in several different ways.

“We were always looking for an operator that we could potentially move into a lease with, so that operator could engage multiple partners and multiple uses certainly, and I think that came through in the responses,” Moudry said.

Originally, Moudry said the goal was to get the pop-up operator in the space by this fall. That timeframe will likely get pushed due to COVID-19 delays — Moudry’s department pivoted earlier this year to providing resources to small businesses, like launching the microloan and Fairfax Rise grant programs.

“Small businesses have been hit extremely hard over the last number of months and we are still in the pandemic,” Moudry said.

But the pandemic hasn’t stopped the “8508 Uncontained” project, which Moudry said relies on the Made in Fairfax network and small businesses in the area to be successful.

“Those producers need to be around,” Moudry said. “We need to find ways to help them continue in existence or be prepared to come back with the economy. So that’s really been our focus.”

HAN Palace originally wanted to open its Tysons spot in April, but then the coronavirus pandemic hit Northern Virginia.

Now, the restaurant is looking to start serving its “traditional” Cantonese brunch and all-day dim sum in a few weeks. HAN Palace will have a bar, indoor dining and patio seating at the same building (7900 Westpark Drive) that houses Bourbon Coffee and Ahra Kitchen.

The restaurant recently shared on Facebook that it is aiming to open mid-September. Northern Virginia Magazine reported the opening date is Sept. 17.

Owner Chris Zhu, who also runs China Garden in Rockville, Md., told Tysons Reporter in March that the restaurant’s all-day dim sum will stand out because D.C. restaurants usually only offer dim sum for lunch.

Diners can get complimentary garage parking for two hours during the day or after 6 p.m. on weekdays and up to six hours on the weekends.

Photo courtesy Chris Zhu

Several Tysons companies received kudos recently for hiring and retaining former service members.

The recently announced “Best for Vets: Employers” rankings from the Military Times included six Tysons-area businesses. The ranking aims to spotlight businesses around the country that are expanding their efforts to recruit and keep veterans.

The Military Times determined the rankings with ScoutComms by using a survey to rank 144 employers. Here’s how the Tysons-area businesses did:

• #11 Hilton
• #14 Capital One
• #26 Booz Allen Hamilton
• #61 PenFed Credit Union
• #94 General Dynamics Information Technology
• #113 DynCorp International

With veterans making up 3.6% of its roughly 44,000 employees, Capital One got top scores for retention support programs, help employees get civilian credentials and employment support for guard and reserve employees.

Hilton received high marks for its retention support programs, civilian credential attainment and practices for recruiting and employment. Veterans make up 3% of the company’s approximately 53,500 employees.

DynCorp International had the highest percentage of veterans among its workforce — 70% of roughly 8,700 workers — for the Tysons-area companies on the list.

The Military Times has been reporting on the pandemic’s impact on the number of jobless veterans, writing in July that more than 770,000 veterans across the country were struggling to find work in June.

Booz Allen Hamilton and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department were among 11 businesses that received kudos during the virtual Virginia Veterans and Military Affairs Conference last week, Virginia Business reported.

The conference was hosted by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) and the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation.

For former service members seeking employment help, VDVS helps veterans and their families fidn resources for employment, housing, education and more, along with assistance filing claims for federal veterans benefits. The state agency also operates two long-term care facilities.

Photo by Michelle Goldchain

ShowPlace Icon is now screening movies again at The Boro.

The 72,000-square-foot theater (1667 Silver Hill Drive) — the seventh for the luxury movie theater chain — temporarily closed its new Tysons location due to COVID-19 restrictions just weeks after opening. During its closure, the theater sponsored The Boro’s drive-in movie series in June and July.

The theater announced that it reopened today (Friday). Competitor AMC Theatre reopened yesterday in Tysons Corner Center.

Today and this weekend, ShowPlace Icon is screening “Inception” to celebrate the film’s 10th anniversary, “Unhinged,” “Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula” and “Words on Bathroom Walls,” according to its website.

Audience goers are required to wear face coverings. The theater is encouraging people to buy tickets and concession items in advance to reduce contact. A full list of safety measures to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 is on the theater’s website.

The theater’s 14 auditoriums can seat 1,795 people, but the movie chain said that it will have reduced seating due to the coronavirus pandemic.

OrthoVirginia has combined its Tysons and McLean locations into one McLean-Tysons office, which is located at 1760 Old Meadow Road in McLean. 

The McLean office was previously located on Greensboro Drive across from Tysons Galleria, and the Tysons office was previously located on Old Courthouse Road in Vienna. 

The decision to make the move was to “consolidate property to go to a bigger space so we can combine all of our therapy and all of our physicians into one location,” according to an OrthoVirginia employee. 

The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Their therapies are offered Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

The previous Tysons location is still open for MRI services Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

OrthoVirgina is Virginia’s largest provider of orthopedic medicine and therapy with services including on-site therapy, surgery centers and advanced imagery, according to their website. They have more than 100 orthopedic specialists in 26 locations across Northern Virginia.

Photo via OrthoVirginia/Facebook

New Firm Helping Businesses With COVID-19 Rules — “The Tysons firm [Covidless Workplace Services], founded in June, aims to provide businesses with a set of recommendations and guidelines that not only help them comply with regulations but also implement best practices, said co-founder Dirar Hakeem.” [Washington Business Journal]

Koenigsegg Hypercar Will Be Sold in Tysons — “The manufacturer of one of the world’s most exclusive ‘hypercars’ has made it official and announced Tysons-based Exclusive Automotive Group as its only local dealer… The models will only be on site for special events, and even if you choose to acquire one, it’ll take one to two years to get it.” [Washington Business Journal]

Book Demand High — “Local libraries’ physical doors may be shut since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, but their virtual doors are seeing plenty of ‘foot traffic’ at all hours of the day in the City of Falls Church and surrounding areas.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Mask Campaign — “Four of Northern Virginia’s top health care organizations started a campaign Wednesday with a simple message about fighting the coronavirus pandemic: Wear a mask.” [Patch]

Realigning Old Meadow Road at Dolley Madison Blvd (Route 123) in Tysons is taking a little bit longer than anticipated.

Work to shift the travel lane started in the spring and was slated to be finished by mid-August. Now, drivers and pedestrians likely won’t see the change until the end of the month, according to an update from the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

“Adjusting to the COVID-19 outbreak and differing site conditions delayed the completion of the first phase of the work, which included sidewalk and pavement demolition,” according to the update.

The realignment aims to improve access between the Capital One campus and Old Meadow Road. The work is a part of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s Silver Line project.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project noted that crews from subcontractor W.M. Schlosser have finished drainage infrastructure and are working on signal equipment and landscaping along the south side of Old Meadow Road and the east side of Dolley Madison Blvd.

Once the lane shifts are completed, the crews will then start constructing a new median on Old Meadow Road at the intersection.

Work on the median, which is expected to start at the end of August, will require a southward lane shift of eastbound Old Meadow Road, according to the update.

Photo courtesy Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Local restaurants want diners to donate to the relief efforts helping the thousands of people suffering from the aftermath of a deadly explosion in Beirut.

The massive explosion in Lebanon’s capital last Tuesday (Aug. 4) killed approximately 150 people and left thousands injured and homeless.

Mediterranean restaurant Zenola took to Facebook on Wednesday to ask diners to donate to the Lebanese Red Cross and Impact Lebanon. “The city and its people are near and dear to our hearts,” the Facebook post said. “We’re heartbroken over the loss of life and the destruction of vital infrastructure. The road ahead to recovery and rebuilding will be a long one.”

“Being Lebanese-American, most of us in the [D.C. area], we felt like we had to do something,” Noha Zeitoun, who is one of the restaurant’s owners, told Tysons Reporter. “Being so far away, one of the easiest things we can do is fundraise for the organizations doing the work on the ground.”

The restaurant, which opened last September in Vienna, is donating the proceeds from two menu items — a cocktail and comfort dish — through this Wednesday (Aug. 12) to the two organizations, Zeitoun said. “The Lebanese Red Cross is incredibly well respected and well regarded with giving money directly to the people,” Zeitoun said. “Impact Lebanon — they are known for highly vetting the organizations they give money to.”

The cocktail is called “Toot Toot to Beirut” — a play on words of a song by the Lebanese artist Marcel Khalife — and is made from blackberry juice and gin. The comfort dish “Ablama” is baby zucchini stuffed with beef, pine nuts and onions with tomato and truffle béchamel sauce. The dish comes with rice and vermicelli.

“We grew up eating it at home and in Lebanon,” Zeitoun said about Ablama. “It’s a warm dish that brings you fuzzies.”

Zenola joined D.C.-area restaurants taking part in a fundraising effort called Beitna, which means “our house” in Arabic and was started by Chef Roro Asmar and Chef Marcelle Afram of Compass Rose and Maydan, Zeitoun said. Additionally, the restaurant is encouraging diners this month to make donations when they get their checks.

Zeitoun said that Zenola has raised about $300 since last Wednesday and hopes to double the amount by next Wednesday (Aug. 19).

“There are some really, really hard videos to watch, given everything worldwide with the pandemic,” Zeitoun said about the explosion, noting a recent map shows what the impact would have looked like in the D.C. area. “It’s another extra thing making 2020 just a little bit more unbearable.”

Aerial footage shows devastating aftermath of deadly Beirut blast from above.

Some 300,000 people — more than 12% of the Lebanese capital's population — are unable to return to their homes because of the explosion. https://t.co/ztkoW60SAF pic.twitter.com/CxkxR4vkjK

— ABC News (@ABC) August 7, 2020

“It will take a lot of time, but Beirut has recovered through a lot of things, and the people are very resilient,” Zeitoun said, noting that the country is facing hyperinflation and economic turmoil.

Because of inflation, Zeitoun said that every dollar counts: “USD goes a really long way right now.”

Other restaurants in the Tysons area are also looking to support Beirut.

Phoenicia Resto and Lounge in the Dunn Loring area took to Facebook to share relief efforts people can donate to.

“[No] words can heal the wounded or bring back the souls killed by this horrific tragedy… Beirut always in our heart,” the restaurant posted.

Lebanese Taverna, a regional chain that was started in Arlington and has a location in Tysons Galleria, started a GoFundMe for the Lebanese Red Cross. The fundraiser netted more than $62,000 in five days — surpassing the initial goal of $50,000.

“We are now shifting any additional donations to Jose Andres’ organization, World Central Kitchen as our brother, Dany Abi-Najm is traveling to Lebanon with #CHEFSFORBEIRUT,” the restaurant posted on Facebook yesterday. “Any further money collected will go directly to assist their efforts on the front line as they help to feed the more than 300,000 people displayed.”

Additionally, the restaurant’s website says that a portion of the proceeds from the Hommos sold through the end of the month will benefit World Central Kitchen, which is giving prepared meals to seniors, first responders and people in need in Beirut.

Photo via Zenola/Facebook

A school offering K-12 math education is planning to open a new location in Tysons next month, even though the fall offerings will be virtual.

The Russian School of Mathematics plans to open at 8230 Boone Blvd, according to its website. The webpage for the upcoming location notes that the school will open in September but that it will hold classes online.

Soviet Union ex-pats formed the school in the late 1990s to make learning math fun and rigorous, according to a Boston Magazine profile. In February, the Russian School of Mathematics said that it reached 40,000 students.

The mathematics program has more than 50 schools across the U.S. along with one in Toronto. Currently, the Virginia locations include Reston and Ashburn.

Enrollment is open for the fall. The schedule for the Tysons school includes classes for grades K-6.

Photo by Annie Spratt/Unsplash

The Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week returns next week, and more than a dozen restaurants in the Tysons area are participating in the event.

The event lets people buy lunch, brunch and dinner from restaurants at fixed prices. Some of the restaurants will cocktails or wine pairings for dine-in customers and special discounts.

New this year, Summer Restaurant Week is offering family-style to-go dinners (RW To Go) for either $35 per person or $55 per person.

Here are the local participating restaurants and what they are offering:

Tysons

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House: dinner
• Chima Steakhouse: dinner
• Coastal Flats: lunch and dinner
• Founding Farmers: lunch and dinner, RW To Go
• American Prime: lunch and dinner, RW To Go
• Agora Tysons: dinner, RW To Go
• Randy’s Prime Seafood and Steaks: lunch and dinner
• Lebanese Taverna: lunch and dinner, RW To Go
• Wildfire: lunch and dinner, RW To Go

Vienna

• Blend 111: brunch, lunch and dinner
• Caboose Brewing Company: lunch and dinner, RW To Go
• Maple Ave Restaurant: brunch and dinner, RW To Go

Falls Church and Merrifield:

• TRIO Grill: dinner
• Alta Strada: dinner, RW To Go
• 2941 Restaurant: dinner

McLean

• J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks and Seafood: lunch and dinner

Summer Restaurant Week will run from Aug. 17-30.